William’s Top 5 (so far) of 2016

Compared to the other Film Queue team, I haven’t watched that many movies this year. I will say however that most of the films that I did end up watching have been really good to pretty much perfect to me. So, here are my top 5 films of 2016 so far.

Disclaimer: Before reading, I have three things to point out first. One, this list will be in order from least to most favourite. Two, like I said above, I didn’t see that many movies so films such as GreenRoom, FindingDory, and 10 CloverfieldLane did not make it on the list. And three, of course, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is not on my list.

HushDirected by Mike Flanagan

This movie was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t watched a horror movie in a long time due to me being bored of the genre so I had my doubts playing it. But I will say what you get in Hush is a simple, realistic approach to a traditional psychological game between the killer and the protagonist. What makes this even more interesting is that the main character is deaf and mute. Kate Siegel plays Maddie, who has to use her other senses and stealth to get away from the killer. It’s an advanced concept of cat-and-mouse of who can get the better of one another. It has been a while since I felt genuinely concerned for a character in a horror film and I am glad Hush brought that fear element back into me.

The Jungle Book
Directed by Jon Favreau

What more can I say about this film? From the vibrant jungle setting to the all-star voice acting, there is basically nothing to complain about when it comes to The Jungle Book. Most reboots fail to live up to the original but I’m happy to say that this film acts as a tribute to the classic cartoon Disney version. When I was still working at a movie theatre, this was the film I’d sneak in just to catch the Shere Khan scenes. I said this in my review and I’ll say it again; Shere Khan is my favourite villain of 2016 (so far).

Captain America: Civil War
Directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo

Okay let’s be honest, this is pretty much another Avengers movie as oppose to a standalone Captain America story. Although they did change some factors from the comic book storyline, I felt Civil War delivered. Every character had their moment to shine and it makes me eager to see their solo films like Black Panther and Spider-Man just to name a few. At this point, these blockbuster stars are so comfortable acting amongst each other it almost seems effortless on their part to deliver their respective performances. The action is what did it for me. Tremendous, superb, spectacular are just a few adjectives to describe the awesomeness of Civil War’s fight scenes. Take notes DC.

Deadpool
Directed by Tim Miller

This movie was absurd, to say the least, but in a very good way. In this bag of absurdity, you have a superhero film that contains a mixture of action, comedy, and suspense. Add in gore, tits, and foul language, you now have yourselves a Deadpool movie. This was the perfect role for Ryan Reynolds to let loose and act as himself. I can tell he really enjoyed playing the Merc with the Mouth and it makes the audience appreciate the story and the characters even more. Deadpool is a creative, silly blood-fest that is just simply ridiculously fun for adults only. I mean it, no kid should ever watch this film.

Zootopia
Directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore

My number one pick, Zootopia. There are three words to describe this wonderful film. First off, Zootopia is clever. Through its smart dialogue and representation of certain characters, this film suggests social problems that we are still currently facing in today’s society and it is a nice treat to see that message hidden in subtle layers for a younger audience. Secondly, Zootopia is charming. Like I said with the dialogue, the film presents an element of comedy that is fresh and makes sense with the concept of the film. Add that to a colourful atmosphere filled with cute animals and you have an adventurous world to get lost into. Zootopia creates a kid-friendly world by adding the humour and the relatable characters but it is also aware of what the world can become and teaches youngsters how to act upon the difficulties society throws at you. And that to me is what makes this movie perfect. Which brings me to my last word to describe Zootopia. Zootopia, to me, is perfect and my number 1 movie of the year (so far).